Demountable-rim expanding and contracting tool



Oct. 28 1924; 1,513,156

. F. w. CHENOWETH DEMOUNTABLE RIM EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING TOOL Original Filed June 11 .'1921 2 Sheetsfiheet l big-.12

l hhl 6 F. W. CHENOWETH DEMQUNTABLE Rm EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING TOOL Original; Tiled Jun 11. 392i 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Get. 28, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,513,155 PATENT OFFICE.

FLQYID; w. CHENOWETH, or PERRY, IOWA.

DEMOUNTABLE-RIM Exmmmnor AND; CONTRACTING TOOL.

Application filed June 11, 1921, Serial No. 476,749. Renewed March 12, 1924.

' tracting Tool, of which the following is a parallel throughout major portions of their specification. The object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for a tool or mechanism adapted to be employed in the expanding and contracting of split rings or rims, as for example demountable wheel rims.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved construction for a ratchet-operated multiple-screw device for expanding and contracting open rings or rims.

provide a multiple-screw expanding and contracting tool adapted to be adjusted and manipulated so as to present and provide a variety of contact-points with a work object, as desirable for different uses or for use with objects of different resisting qualities.

A further object of this invention iscto provide improved means for engaging an annular work object such as a demountable rim.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in -my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of one form of my improved device in position for practical use. Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sections on the lines 22 and 33 respectively of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a section, on an enlarged scale, illustrating the ratchet operating means employed, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 8. Figure 5 is a cross-section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a plan illustrating a portion of'a' rim with a modified form of my tool applied thereto in position forpractical use. Figure 7 is a cross section on the line'77 "of Figure 6.

FigureS. is a planof'a 'furthertmodified form of. thedevice in position for practical use, drawn to a scale reduced relative toFigures '1 and 6. I

, 1 Thenumerals 10, 11 designate bars, which are arranged'in spaced relation and are spaced apart.

A further object of this invention is to length. Pressure screws 12, 13 are arranged in alinement'and are threaded through central portions of the bars 10, 11 respectively, the inner ends of said screws being suitably An adjusting and pressure member 14 is arranged parallel with the pressure screws 12, 13 and has its end portions oppositely threaded and extending loosely through smooth holes in the bars 10, 11; and an adjusting, pressure and operating member 15 of similar form is mounted loosely through the opposite end portions of said bars. Blocks 16, 17 are threaded on opposite end portions of the member 14 and means are provided for holding said blocks against rotation when the member 15 is turned on its axis. Similar blocks 18, 19

are threaded on opposite end portions ofthe member 15. The blocks 16, 17, 18 and 19 are alike in construction, each being formed with an integral fork 20 projecting from one side thereof and embracing the adjacent bar 10' or 11 and pivotally secured theretoas by screws 21, rivets or similar means. By this means the blOCks are held' against rotation and the screw members 14, 15 are caused to travel with respect to the bars 10, 11 when rotated on their axes. The bars 10, 1'1 preterably are of channel form, with the channels directed outwardly and the flanges secured separately to the arms of the forks 20, as shown in Figure 2.

Curved, arms 22, 23 are provided, and each is received at one end within thechannel 'of a bar 10 or 11 and pivotally secured thereto as by a bolt, screw, or rivet, 24, at one side of the pressure screws l2randal3,

said arms having theirvconcaved sides presented toward the outer sides 'ofsaid bars 10 and 11. Each of the curved arms 22, 23 is formed witha stud or projection '25 extendingoutwardly from a point between ly by outer end portions of the pressure #screws'j12, "13 respectively, as shown in Figure 1, and the 'rollers 26 arev adapted to gage substantially diametrically opposite points otan annular-inembere27, such area ring' on demountablewheel rim commonly used on automobile-wheels and-formed with a split or break so that it, may be expanded and contracted. 'At one end-each 'the bars"10,' 11 alsocarrypivoted rollers -26 adapted toengagejthe' inner surface of. the

rim or ring 27, preferably at points opposite the break or split in said rim or ring. Opposite end portions ofthe bars 10, 11 preferably diverge slightly and are provided with suitable means forengaging the ring or rim 27 at points adjacent to and on opposite sides of the split or break therein; In this instance clamping means are provided at these points so that pulling as well as pushing force may be applied to the rim or ring by the device and so that .it may be employed for contracting as well as expanding the annulus. The bars 10, 11 are reduced in thickness at one end each, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the device and rim or ring 27, as shown in Figure 3, to form tongues 28. Curved clamping strips 29, 30 are mounted on opposite sides of each of the tongues 528, having their concaved faces directed toward said tongues. Each clamping strip has one end engaging a tongue 28 and its other end portion extending beyond the outer end of said tongue,

and each of said strips is notched on the inner side of its projecting portion, to engage one margin of the ring 27, as shown in Figure 3. Each tongue 28 is apertured between its ends to receive a clamping bolt 31, which passes loosely through longitudinal slots 32 in the clamping strips, a securing member such as a wing nut 38 being mounted on said bolt to hold the clamping strips in clamping relation relative to the rim 27. Because of the shape of the clamping strips 29, 30, with their inner ends resting loosely and adjustably on the tongues 28, and because of the longitudinal slots 32 through which the clamping bolts pass, the

said strips may be caused to engage in.

clamping relation rims or other members of varying wldth. 7

Operating devices A, B are provided for rotating the respective screw members 14:,

15 manually, and said devices are alike in construction except that the lever of the member 15preferably'is considerably longer than that of the member 1%. The operat ing device B, which is applicable to either of the forms of my invention, is shown in detail in Figures 4: and 5, and will now be described.

Formed on or fixed to the central portion of the screw member 15 is a ratchet "hub or boss 34 formed with peripheral diameter than the lever 36. A plunger 38 is mounted in the tubular stem 37 and has its outer end projecting therefrom and provided with a head 39; while the inner end of said plunger projectswithin the sleeve 35 and is provided with a ratchet dog 40 adapted to engage the teeth of the boss 34 and rotate the boss and the member 15 in one direction. The plunger and ratchet dog are reversible so that the boss and member 15 may be selectively rotated in either direction as desired. A cap 41 is provided for the outer end of the tubular stem 37 and is provided with a hole through which the plunger 38 extends loosely. An expansive spring 42 is coiled around a portion of the plimger 38 and impinges at one end the inner face of the cap ll and at its other end a pin as or similar member carried by said plunger, whereby the dog 40 is yieldingly pressed to engagement with the teeth of the boss 34:. The cap 41 is also formed with transverse slot 44 adapted to receive a pin 45 mounted through the plunger 38, which controls the relative position of the ratchet dog 10 as to selective operation of "the boss and member 15 in opposite directions. lVhen it is desired to reverse the direction of operation of the member 15, the plunger is withdrawn partially from the tubular stem 37 by outward pull on the head 39 against the spring 42, thus releasing the dog 40 from engagement with the ratchet teeth of the boss 34'and the pin 45 from the slot 44. Then the plunger is turned through an arc of one'hundred and eighty degrees and allowed to move inwardiy of the stem 37 under pressure of the spring 42, the ratchet dog 40 thus being reversed and being in position to operate'the toothed boss and member 15 in the opposite direction.

In practical operation the device is mounted as shown within an open ring such as 27 which is to be expanded or contracted, the device first being adjusted by means of the operating members A and B to approximately the existing size and condition of l the ring. The rollers 26 are caused to engage the inner surface of the rim at spaced points, and the clamping strips 29, 30 are caused to engage the rim or ring in clamping relation on opposite sides of the break or split therein. Then the screw members ll, 1.5 are rotated, through the operating devices A. and B, to cause the bars 10, 11 to approach or recede from each other, depending upon the direction of rotation of the screw members as determined by the position of the ratchet dog as previously explained; and depending upon whether the rim or ring is to be contracted or expanded. If the latter, the rollers 26 and clamping strips exert outward pressure on the rim or ring and if the former the bars, through the clamping strips, exert inward pressure thereon, to the desired end.

In the construction according to Figure 6 the screw member 14 is omitted and in its place a cross-bar 4:6 is provided, which is pivotally connected at its ends by means of rivets or bolts 47 to the bars 10, 11, one only of which is shown. In this Way the bars 10, 11 are tied together at one end so that their rollers 26 present in effect but a single point of contact (relatively wide) to the rim or ring. In this view also is shown an attachment or supplementary double-roller device adapting the tool for use with rings or rims of unusually large diameter. This attachment comprises a bar 48, which may be slightly curved between its ends, having pivoted to its opposite ends rollers 49, adapted to engage the inner surface of the ring or rim 27. Midway between its ends the bar 48 is formed with a concaved seat or recess 51 adapted to receive the roller 26 of one of the curved arms 23 of the tool. Outward pressure of the screw member 12 or 13 (in this instance 13) is transmitted through the curved arm 23 through its roller 26 to the bar 48 and thence by the spaced rollers 19, 50 to the ring or rim.

In the construction according to Figure 8 the straight bars 10, 11 are replaced by angular bars 10, 11. The bars 10, 11 may have at one end the clamping devices such as have been previously described, extend to about the middle of the ring and turnv outwardly substantially at right angles, and carry pivoted rollers 26 on their opposite ends. But one screw device, 15, and one operating device, B, is employed, and the tool thus has but four points of contact with the rim or ring.

The various arms and bars may be so arranged at their ends that they ,may carry either the pivoted rollers such as 26 or the clamping strips such as 29, 30, whereby the one form of engaging means may be substituted for the other at pleasure and to suit the needs of the particular work in hand.

It should also be noted that this device is adaptable for use with rings of varying diameter, and that a selective number of conranging from four to eight or even more, as

the attachments are employed on one or more of the rollers 26.

I claim as my invention 1. A rim expanding and contracting de: vice, comprising spaced bars, screw devices for advancing and retracting said bars relative to each other, end portions of said bars being adapted to engage the inner surface of a ring, separate pressure screws threaded through central portions of said bars, curved arms pivoted on said bars and adapted to be engaged by outer ends of the respective pressure screws, and rollers on said curved arms adapted to engage said ring.

2. A rim expanding and contracting device, comprising spaced ba-rs, screw devices for advancing and retracting said bars relative to each other, end portions of said bars being adapted to engage the inner surface of a ring, separate pressure screws threaded through central portions of said bars, curved arms pivoted on said bars and adapted to be engaged by outer ends of the respective pressure screws, rollers on said curved arms, a separate bar formed with a concaved seat adapted to be engaged by one of said rollers, and rollers pivoted on end portions of said separate bar and adapted to engage the inner surface of said ring.

3. A rim expanding and contracting device, comprising spaced bars, screw devices for advancing and retracting said bars relative to each other, a roller pivoted on one end of each bar, and a clamping device carried by the opposite end of each bar.

4. A rim expanding and contracting too-l, comprising spaced bars, means near one end of said bars for moving them laterally relative to each other, a roller pivoted on one end of each bar, a clamping device carried by the opposite end of each bar, and across-bar pivotally connecting said bars near their other ends.

Signed at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, this 31st day of May, 1921.

FLOYD W. OHENOVVETI-I. 

